REALLY doable beginner yoga videos

Over the past year and a half I have done yoga regularly. So I am not a complete beginner in yoga. However, since I am not very flexible, only beginner-yoga poses work for me. To have a bit of variety, I have begun to work with free yoga videos that are available on YouTube. Unfortunately these are usually NOT really suitable for beginners, even when labeled ‘for beginners’. Those flexible yoga-ladies often assume a level of physical dexterity that isn’t realistic for us normal people.

So here – as a Christmas special – the few YouTube video’s I’ve found that ARE sensible for beginners.

The first two are aimed at participants in the mindfulness program, but are doable for anybody I think. If you want to do them on a chair, there is a video available as well.

These second two video’s are by yoga professionals. The first is great, but talks a bit too much. She’s into yoga from an exercise perspective, but I found the asana’s she uses suitable. Remember: you can ALWAYS adapt poses to suit your needs.

The following video is by a German yoga-center. The accent may be a problem, but the instructions are good and do take into account issues you may run into when trying these video’s.

Yoga is part of the MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) program. In that setting yoga helps with body-awareness, learning to deal with tension and boundaries etc. While the side effect of physical strength and physical flexibility are welcome, they aren’t the aim of yoga within that context. Of course those things aren’t the aim of yoga in the classical Indian context either.

From that perspective it is a bit disappointing that most yoga video’s available on YouTube really aren’t suitable for beginners. Everybody can benefit from developing a healthier relationship to the body as it is. Frustration over poses that we can’t do isn’t helpful.